Taipei tops list of public complaints of noise pollution

By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

Wed, Mar 06, 2013 - Page 3

Taipei topped the list for the number of nuisance cases reported last year, with noise pollution ranking first among the complaints, according to annual statistics released by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday.

According to the statistics released by the EPA’s Environmental Protection Services Center, a total of 227,931 nuisance cases were reported last year — an increase of 20,486 compared with 2011, the EPA’s Bureau of Environmental Inspection said.

The number of reported pollution cases has steadily increased since a national reporting system was established, from 85,768 cases in 1998 to more than 200,000 cases in the past two years, the bureau said.

Statistics showed that Taipei ranked No. 1 in the number of reported cases, with 61,618 cases last year, followed by New Taipei City (新北市) with 55,821 cases and Greater Taichung with 25,718 cases. The three cities accounted for 62.85 percent of all reported cases nationwide.

As for the categories of pollution, EPA statistics showed that noise pollution was the most frequently reported complaint, accounting for about 35 percent, followed by foul odors (26 percent) and poor environmental sanitation (24 percent).

Taipei’s Da-an District (大安) ranked No. 1 in all three aforementioned categories because many residents living in the mixed residential-commercial area in the district complain about loud noises from the stores, Environmental Inspection Deputy Inspector General Yang Su-er (楊素娥) said.

Also, many people living in Da-an District complained about strong odors from food, such as stinky tofu or curry, which is sold in night markets near residential areas, she said.

Dust from construction sites was also a frequent complaint, she said.

The bureau said it would continue to inspect reported locations as quickly as possible to monitor noise and odor pollution.

The bureau has also developed a smartphone app that makes reporting cases even easier. It can be downloaded for free at: ww3.epa.gov.tw/Public/Apps.aspx.